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Clarifier Rehabilitation
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Course Outline:
Overview
Steps in Clarifier Rehabilitation
Identify Motivations
Condition Assessment
Performance Assessment
Alternatives Comparison
Design
Construction Tips
Helpful References
Examination
Overview
Clarifiers are sedimentation tanks with mechanical equipment for the continuous
removal of solids. They are the simplest way to treat water and wastewater, which
exclaims why they are so common. Most water treatment plants (WTPs) and
wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have at least one clarifier.
Many of the clarifiers in use today were installed more than 30 years ago and
equipment is at the end of the useful life. Owners must decide whether to rehabilitate
the clarifiers, replace them with new clarifiers, or change to a different treatment
technology. And to help accomplish this, they turn to Engineers such as yourself.
Wastewater Clarifiers
The basic functions of a clarifier are shown in Figure 1. Influent (green arrows) enters
the center well and distributes radially throughout the clarifier. The suspended solids
(brown arrows) slowly settle to the flow and are pulled from the bottom through a sludge
hopper. Floating particles and objects are known as scum (yellow arrows). The clarified
effluent is called supernatant (blue arrows).
Effluent
Scum
Influent Sludge
Figure 1: Flows in and out of a typical circular clarifier.
Figure 2 shows the typical components of a circular clarifier. The suction header on the
right (labeled tow-bro header) is for collecting activated sludge in a secondary clarifier (a
clarifier downstream of an aeration basin). For primary clarifiers, the sludge is heavier
and can be collected with scraper blades instead of suction headers. There are
numerous variations in clarifier equipment. When considering rehabilitation, the
Engineer should review the details of the actual installation.
Figure 3: Six circular secondary clarifiers at a large WWTP. The large aeration basins
(at the bottom of the image) discharge mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) to the six
clarifiers by gravity.
Figure 4: Internal components of a large circular secondary clarifier. In this case, all
submerged components are stainless steel.
In addition to primary and secondary treatment, circular clarifiers are often used for
thickening of solids. These clarifiers are called gravity thickeners. Gravity thickeners
typically include the same components as other circular clarifiers, with the addition of
pickets on the sludge collection arms to help release trapped air in the sludge.
Figure 6: Rectangular clarifier components, including the chain (red), flights (blue), drive
(yellow), sprockets (orange), and scum pipe (grey). The depressed chamber on the
lower right is the sludge hopper.
Water Clarifiers
Clarifiers are also used for treating drinking water. The most common application is lime
softening. Lime softening is achieved by feeding calcium hydroxide (lime) to the raw
water and then removing the settled calcium and magnesium ions. This process can be
done with solids contact clarifiers.
Figure 10: Example of two solids contact clarifiers for lime softening of water. Raw water
is pumped into aerators (in the center) and then flows by gravity to the two clarifiers.
Effluent flows by gravity to sand filters. The lime silos can be seen behind the empty
clarifier.
There are several important steps in the rehabilitation process, regardless of the type of
clarifiers involved. These steps are presented in Figure 11 and explained in subsequent
sections. The first four steps may be considered part of the study or preliminary design
phase of the project.
Identify Motivations
Condition Assessment
Performance Assessment
Alternatives Comparison
Design
Construction
Identify Motivations
As an engineer, it is important to know the motivating factors behind any new project,
and this is no different for a clarifier rehabilitation project. If the reasons for needing
rehabilitation are forgotten, there is an increased likelihood of not fixing the problems. A
key to a successful project is to identify the motivating factors and keep them front and
center through the end of the project.
The following table presents common motivating factors and the resulting focus for the
rehabilitation design.
Condition Assessment
All physical components of the clarifier should be reviewed and an opinion of the
condition provided. Results should be compiled in a report and used for making design
decisions. Before getting your hands dirty onsite, the following information should be
gathered, if available:
• Record Drawings (aka As-Built Drawings)
• Manufacturer’s Shop Drawings and O&M Manuals
• Previous Assessments or Reports, if available
• Historic Pictures, if available
Be sure to confer with others throughout the condition assessment process. The
following are potential experts for collaboration:
• Clarifier manufacturers and representatives
• Consultant with experience in clarifier rehabilitation
• AGMA consultant member (for the gear drive)
• Structural engineer (for the equipment and tank)
Clarifier components can be grouped into the following categories, each of which is
discussed in detail in this section:
• Drive
• Mechanical Equipment
• Tank (Concrete or Steel)
• Support Features
Drive
The drive unit is the heart of the clarifier. When it fails, the whole clarifier will be offline
until the drive is repaired or replaced. So it is of prime importance to have confidence in
the condition of the drive. The main types of drives are as follows:
• Bridge supported - typical of small wastewater clarifiers
• Center pier supported - typical of large wastewater clarifiers
• Compression ring supported - some solids contact clarifiers
Figure 12: Compression ring supported drive for a solids contact clarifier (left)
and a bridge supported drive for a secondary clarifier (right).
Figure 13: Center pier supported drive with major components identified
Source: Evoqua Water Technologies
Electric motors are typically less than 1 HP on wastewater clarifiers. Solids contact
clarifiers have larger drives, often from 10 to 30 HP, since considerable mixing energy is
required. Some solids contact clarifiers have two separate drives: one for rotating the
sludge collection mechanism and one for rotating the rotor impeller.
When an engineer assesses the condition of the drive, an attitude of humility is helpful.
It is unlikely that an engineer can look and listen to a drive and make a conclusion on
the condition. Most drive failures occur over weeks or months, and problems reveal
themselves slowly and only under certain conditions. Operations and maintenance staff
have spent valuable time caring for the drive. Ask them about past work on the drive.
Discuss recent drive problems. And ask for their insights on how the drives can be
rehabilitated.
If there has been a history of significant problems with the drive or if it is at the end of its
useful life, replacement of the drive may be recommended without further assessment.
Which begs the question:
It is important that a spare drive unit is available onsite. The history and condition of the
spare drive should be assessed. Confirm that the stored drive has been rotated
regularly. Consult the Operation and Maintenance Manual (O&M Manual) for any
additional maintenance required during storage.
A number of field tests can be done to evaluate the condition of the drives in service.
Common tests are summarized in Table 2.
If multiple drives are being assessed, it is important to compare the results between the
different drives. Check if one drive has a significantly higher vibration, noise, or amp
draw. That is a sign that the gear drive is having a problem.
Mechanical Equipment
Each clarifier has a unique set of equipment. This makes assessing the condition both
interesting and challenging. The condition assessment is of high priority if the clarifier
equipment has experienced coating failure, a corrosion problem, a mechanical failure,
or a structural failure.
The recommended steps for the condition assessment are shown in Figure 14 and
described as follows.
1. Initial
Visual
Inspection
2. Review Shop
Drawings
3. List Design
Thicknesses
4. Thickness
Measurements
5. Conclusions
Figure 15: Solids contact clarifier with holes in the hood plates (top) and
significant corrosion on the compression ring angles (bottom). These problems
cannot be seen from the walkway, highlighting the need for an interior inspection.
Figure 17: Coating thickness measurements with a coating thickness gauge that reads
in mils dry film thickness (DFT). One mil is one-thousandth of an inch thick. Submerged
carbon steel is often coated a minimum of 12 mils DFT.
Step 5 – Conclusions:
• Compare the actual thickness measurements to the design thickness values. List
the components with a loss of steel greater than the corrosion allowance (1/16” if
unknown).
• Review results with a structural engineer and decide which steel members are
deficient. Main structural supports should be given special consideration.
• For each major component, recommend either spot repairs, significant repairs, or
complete replacement.
• Document condition assessment findings and conclusions.
Steel Tank
It is common for small clarifiers to be constructed with steel tanks, especially solids
contact clarifiers. Steel tanks can last as long as concrete tanks, however, they require
maintenance to maintain the coating system. The steel tank should be inspected with
the same steps described above for the mechanical equipment. If the floor is concrete,
advice for concrete inspection is provided in the subsection entitled Concrete Tank.
As an example, project engineer Todd was tasked with assessing the condition of a
steel tank for a solids contact clarifier at the local water treatment plant. He reviewed the
shop drawings which show the tank is made of 1/2" thick carbon steel with L3x3x3/8
stiffener angles. A corrosion allowance of 1/16” is assumed, so the tank wall should
have a minimum thickness of 7/16”, or 0.44”.
Todd inspected the inside and outside of the tank and found the following deficiencies:
• Along the top of the tank, the steel wall has several depressions and holes, as
shown in Figure 18.
• At the base of the tank, the steel wall has three depressions, as shown in Figure
19. Todd measured the steel thickness in the depressions with the following
results: 0.304”, 0.360”, and 0.428”. These results are all less than the minimum
thickness of 0.44”.
After reviewing these with the structural engineer, it was decided that additional steel
reinforcing was needed to restore the integrity of the tank at these locations.
Figure 18: Depressions and holes near the top of the tank wall.
Figure 19: Bottom of a tank wall with the three depressions circled and steel thickness
measurements written in green.
Concrete Tank
Assessing the condition of a concrete tank is significantly different than the rest of the
clarifier. The recommended steps for the condition assessment are shown in Figure 20
and described as follows.
1. Initial Visual
Inspection
2. Review Existing
Information
3. Field Testing
4. Conclusions
o Non-destructive tests:
Rebound hammer test to discover voids in the concrete or areas of
low strength near the surface. See Figure 22.
Ultrasonic pulse velocity or pulse-echo (UPE) test to check the
strength, quality, and thickness of concrete.
Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) test to review the locations of steel
reinforcing and delaminated concrete.
Cover meter test to check the cover for steel reinforcement.
Surface Electrical Resistivity test to check the durability of the
concrete.
Half-cell Corrosion Mapping test to identify areas of active
corrosion. Coatings need to be removed for this test.
Figure 22: An example of a test hammer instrument that gives an estimated strength
reading in psi (MPa).
o Destructive tests:
Surface removal test involves cutting or chipping the surface of the
concrete to view the condition of the steel reinforcement. This test
can be done in several different locations to gain a direct view of
the condition of the tank. See Figure 23 for an example.
Core test by removing a cylinder of concrete to test the
compressive strength and other properties. Care must be taken to
properly restore the concrete in the area of the core.
Step 4 – Conclusions:
• Review inspection results with a structural engineer and decide the severity of
the deficiencies discovered.
• Document condition assessment findings and conclusions.
Support Features
A clarifier requires many support features to function properly. Some examples include:
• Chemical feed system
• Scum pumping system
• Sludge pumping system
• Sludge blow-off valves with actuators
• Piping and valves for influent, effluent/supernatant, sludge, scum, spray water,
chemical feed, sampling, etc.
• Dome cover
• Odor control features
• Control panels (see Figure 24)
• HMI screens and controls programming
• Electrical wiring, breakers, disconnects, VFDs, etc. (see Figure 25)
• Instrumentation, including sludge blanket detectors, samplers, solids meters, flow
meters, level sensors, limit switches, and pressure transmitters.
These ancillary items should be assessed along with the main components of the
clarifier. There is little sense in spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to rehabilitate
a clarifier only to have it fail because of an old valve or a deteriorated electrical part. As
an engineer, you should consider all potential failures of the clarifier, and thus assess
the condition of these support features as well. An electrical engineer or electrician
should assist in the evaluation of electrical and controls components.
Performance Assessment
This section reviews common procedures for assessing the performance of a clarifier.
However, since each clarifier is unique, each performance assessment will also be
unique. An engineer should consider what is appropriate for the application and consult
with process experts.
Figure 26: Example mass balance for a primary clarifier at peak flow. Note the
mass of sludge entering the clarifier (33,360 lb/d) equals the mass leaving the
clarifier (13,344 lb/d in effluent plus 20,016 lb/d in sludge).
Figure 27: State point analysis chart with labels for the three plotted lines.
Figure 28: CFD model results for solids concentration of a secondary clarifier.
Colors are as follows: dark blue is 10 mg/L, light blue is 1,000 mg/L, green is 3,000
mg/L, and red is 6,000 mg/L.
Step 5 - Conclusions
• Review performance assessment results with clarifier experts and compile a list
of potential process modifications.
• Document performance assessment findings and conclusions.
Figure 29: Settling test showing the original sludge volume (left) and settled sludge
volume after 30 minutes (right). The SVI formula is included for convenience.
Figure 31: Jar testing with a gang stirrer and six influent samples, each with different
chemical dosages. After 30 minutes, supernatant turbidity was measured for each.
Alternatives Comparison
The conclusions from the condition and performance assessments should be used to
identify and develop several alternatives that will address the deficiencies. The following
steps can be used to compare the alternatives:
1. Identify Design Criteria
2. Brainstorm List of Alternatives
3. Qualitative Comparison of Alternatives
4. Quantitative Comparison of Alternatives
5. Final Selection
1. Economic Criteria:
a. Capital Cost
b. Construction Cost
c. Operating Cost
d. Lifecycle Cost
e. Litigation Risk
f. Life Span
2. Environmental Criteria:
a. Potable Water Consumption
b. Stormwater Management
c. Solid Waste Produced
d. Energy Consumption (nonrenewable)
e. Recycling / Beneficial Reuse
f. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (non-biogenic)
g. Air Pollution
h. Water Pollution
3. Social Criteria:
a. Employee Productivity
b. Safety
c. Chemical Use
d. Regulatory Acceptance
e. Aesthetics
f. Land Use / Footprint
Convert to Full
3 $8M $12M 300,000 10,000
MBR redundancy
Design
The design phase is when engineers typically feel the most comfortable. A typical
design-bid-build project includes the following deliverables:
• Design Report
• Drawings
• Specifications
• Cost Estimate
• Permit Approvals
Design Report
The contents of the design report will depend on if the primary purpose is for a permit
submittal or for the client. For permit submittals, the design report is typically shorter
and may not include details of the condition assessment, performance assessment, and
alternatives analysis. A potential format for the report is as follows:
1. Background
2. Purpose
3. Permit Requirements
4. Clarifier Rehabilitation
a. Process/Mechanical
b. Structural
c. Electrical
d. Instrumentation and Controls
5. Other Improvements
6. Implementation Schedule
7. Cost Estimate
8. Appendices
• Identify any areas of the clarifier that were not fully inspected. Consider potential
problems that may be encountered in those areas during construction.
• For areas with unknown conditions, specify for the Contractor to perform tests,
such as taking steel thickness measurements, and submit the results for the
Engineer to review. Thickness measurements should be taken after blasting, as
additional areas of thin steel often reveal themselves at that time, as seen in
Figure 32.
• Consider specifying an allowance or an assumed amount of unspecified repairs.
For example, the bid shall include 2,000 pounds of unspecified steel plate
reinforcing in locations determined in the field by the Engineer/Consultant.
• Unit pricing for additional repairs can be requested with the bid.
• Create separate plan and profile drawings showing the existing clarifier
conditions. The drawings showing the improvements should have the existing
clarifier in light lines and the improvements in dark lines for clarity.
• Include an abundance of photos of the internal components of the existing
clarifier to help define existing conditions.
Summary Table
In the specifications, it is helpful for all parties to have a clarifier rehabilitation table that
identifies the work on the clarifier components for each clarifier. This is especially
helpful if there are multiple clarifiers with different work being performed on each
clarifier. See Figure 33 for an example of a summary of work table.
Figure 34: Example detail for adding a reinforcing plate and sealant to a tank tall.
Ideally, all submerged metal should be of the same material to avoid galvanic reactions
between dissimilar metals. Specify isolation material at interfaces of dissimilar metals.
For submerged carbon steel components, the importance of a good coating system
cannot be understated. Early coating failures are all too common for treatment plant
equipment. Coating problems result in expensive recoating work at best and corrosion
or even equipment failures at worst. Robust surface preparation and coating
requirements should be specified and enforced during construction.
A good coating system starts with proper surface preparation. Specify all carbon steel
surfaces to be sandblasted to a NACE 2/SP-10 profile, also called “Near White Metal
Blast”. Wet abrasive blasting or vapor blasting can also create the NACE 2/SP-10
profile, however, the presence of water increases the risk of rust formation prior to prime
coating, so it is not recommended for clarifier components.
After blasting, the surface profile does not remain ideal for long. Rust begins to form
within 24 hours in dry conditions, and almost immediately wherever water is present.
Any rust bloom formation will not allow the coating to adhere properly and it will fail early
by blistering and delamination. Consider specifying the following requirements to help
“hold the blast” for a successful prime coat:
• Cover the tank before beginning blasting operations. The cover shall be
structurally sound with a center support from the clarifier platform. The cover
system shall be designed to withstand the forecasted wind conditions. Consult
with a structural engineer for additional language regarding wind loads. Provide
stormwater drainage from the cover. Provide a ventilation system for the tank.
See Figure 35 for examples of covers on clarifiers.
• Hold a conference call or meeting with stakeholders to review details of the
proposed surface preparation and coating work.
• Remove all standing water from the tank and maintain the following conditions
inside the tank throughout the blasting and coating process: relative humidity
below 45% or temperature at least 5 degrees above the dew point. Utilize a
dehumidification system and a continuous humidity monitor (aka hygrometer) to
confirm compliance.
• Blasted surfaces are to be prime coated within 24 hours. Any surface not coated
within this time shall have the blasting repeated.
• Stripe coat all edges, interfaces, and ends of members and plates.
• The coating manufacturer shall review and approve the proposed blasting and
coating process. An authorized representative shall inspect the blasted surfaces,
the prime coat, and the finish coat, and provide a letter indicating acceptance of
the observed surface preparation and coating system.
Figure 35: Example of a tarp cover on a clarifier. The cover functions to provide ideal
conditions for blasting and coating carbon steel surfaces and provides dust control.
Existing Drives
If existing drives are to be reused instead of being replaced, they should be protected
during construction. During blasting operations, drive units should be protected from
airborne sand by wrapping with a plastic cover or similar. See Figure 36 for an example
of a drive unit that was not protected.
A lubrication system cleaning should also be specified. The following are options to
consider, in order of least to most effective:
• Double Oil Change
• Simple Power Flush (one direction)
• Advanced Power Flush (both directions, high temperature, pulsed flow)
• Chemical Power Flush (solvents added to oil)
Construction Tips
Schedule
Early in the construction process, a construction schedule should be developed.
Milestones should be defined in the schedule, especially if multiple clarifiers are being
rehabilitated. Typically only one clarifier should be worked on at a time. A time period
should be allowed between each clarifier to account for startup and testing activities.
See Figure 38 for an example schedule.
Figure 38: An overall construction schedule for a clarifier rehabilitation project. The
clarifier rehab line items should be broken up into smaller tasks.
The start of the rehabilitation work is typically predicated on the equipment lead times.
See Figure 39 for typical component lead times. The lead time for a new drive unit can
be 20 weeks or more in some cases, so the manufacturer should be consulted.
Coating Inspections
As explained in the Design section, the proper application of the coating system makes
a big difference in the longevity of the clarifier. Surface preparation is the single most
important factor that can make or break the coating system.
It is difficult work for a blasting crew inside a clarifier, but it is of high importance that all
surfaces are fully blasted prior to coating. Field inspections help ensure this happens.
Confirm that blasted surfaces are kept dry and prime coated within 24 hours. If signs of
rusting are observed, have the Contractor to blast the area again. See Figure 40 for an
example of a rusted surface.
To address number 1, after blasting, the Contractor should stripe coat all edges. Inspect
to confirm that all edges have been coated.
To address number 2, inspect that all welds are ground smooth. It is never too late to
ask the contractor to grind smooth a weld and touch up the coating afterward.
After the final coating is applied, inspect for full coverage and total thickness. See
Figure 17 for an example thickness gauge. Check hard to reach nooks and crannies,
such as those shown in Figure 41. Use a ladder as needed to inspect the areas that
cant be seen from the walkway or floor. Ladders should be tied off for safety.
Figure 41: The red arrows point to steel surfaces without proper coating.
Thin areas can usually be patched with reinforcing plates that are field welded to cover
the areas. See some examples in Figures 42 and 43. The engineer should define the
extents of the patching required to cover the thin area. The contractor can cut A36
plating (typically 1/4" thick) and field weld it over the area.
Figure 43: On left: Plate with thin areas delineated with black circles and the
extents of the reinforcing areas drawn in black lines.
Right: After reinforcing plates were welded to cover the think areas.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is chosen because it is naturally resistant to corrosion. However,
stainless steel is susceptible to contamination during installation, especially if field
welding is done. See Figure 44 for an example. To avoid these problems, some
engineers forbid field welding of stainless steel. However, for clarifier rehabilitation work,
field welding is sometimes unavoidable.
The key to maintaining the natural resistance to corrosion is to passivate surfaces with
acid or pickling paste. The following manufacturers make products for field passivation
of stainless steel: Oakite and Avesta BlueOne. Passivation should be done to all field
welds and any shop welds showing discoloration. Any areas with carbon steel
contamination should be passivated as well. See Figure 45 for an example of welds that
have been ground smooth and passivated.
Figure 44: Stainless steel welds with excessive slag and discoloration. Also, note the
orange specks of carbon steel contamination.
Figure 45: Stainless steel welds after grinding, smoothing, and passivating.
Helpful References
Wastewater Clarifiers:
WEF (2005) Clarifier Design, 2nd Ed, Manual of Practice No. FD-8; McGraw-Hill.
WEF (2020) Design of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, 6th ed, Manual of
Practice No. 8; McGraw-Hill.
Metcalf & Eddy (2003) Wastewater Engineering Treatment and Reuse, 4th ed;
McGraw-Hill.
Water Clarifiers:
AWWA; ASCE (2012) Water Treatment Plant Design, 5th ed; McGraw-Hill.
Drive Assessment:
Field Testing:
APHA; AWWA; WEF (1998) Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and
Wastewater, 20th ed.; Washington, DC.
Jenkins, D. M.; Richard, M.; Daigger, G. (2004) The Causes and Cures of Activated
Sludge Bulking and Foaming, 3rd ed; Lewis Publishers.
Alternatives Comparisons: